Mozart's Magic Flute Appreciation Thread

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Another vote for Solti II.

[Maciek]

"Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen.." 

So, who are the best Queens of the Night? Any opinions?

[uffeviking]

None! I don't like high sopranos, especially the ones who make this role their only achievement in their singing career, like Sumo Jo, to name one.

There is only one I can tolerate and that is Dorothea Röschmann, at least she does not hurt my ears, makes me wince and shudder!

[Sergeant Rock]

I have the Karl Bohm recording which I've always enjoyed. The male singers are the real stars of the show - the women aren't always consistently good in the recording.

True, unfortunately, but I have a soft spot for Roberta Peters. I remember seeing her on TV when I was a pup. She was quite famous in her day and, shrill or not, I still enjoy listening to her. Nostalgia plays a big part in that enjoyment though.

I have Böhm (DG), Haitink, Solti II, Karajan (DG) and Klemperer...and having just heard Müller-Brachman in Berlin, the Abbado is in my future.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

So, who are the best Queens of the Night? Any opinions?

Frieda Hempel. You can hear her "Der Hölle Rache" on a 1911 recording. Brilliant...but not for Uffeviking. Demonstrating her remarkable voice, she departs from the text and takes a few notes an octave higher...seems impossbile but she pulls it off.

Of more recent singers, my favorite Queen is Lucia Popp.

Sarge

[Maciek]

Lis, your ears are too subtle! There's place for a little "sport" at the opera too. As long as there's only a little of it...

[Wendell_E]

None! I don't like high sopranos, especially the ones who make this role their only achievement in their singing career, like Sumo Jo, to name one.

That's a bit of an exaggeration.  Sumi Jo's also sung Gilda, Oscar, Lucia, Olympia, and Rosina (and that's just a list of her Met roles).

[uffeviking]

I stand corrected, thank you! 

In my defence: I seldom listen to the Met broadcasts nor watch opera broadcasts on PBS. - No TV connections. - Operas I buy are the ones on DVD, usually new works by contemporary composers and there I am very careful what I choose. She is not on my list of 'should buy'! 

[Wendell_E]

She is not on my list of 'should buy'! 

Mine either, really.  But I do have her Giulietta and Zerbinetta on Nagano's recordings of Les Contes d'Hoffmann and the original version of Ariadne auf Naxos.

[CaroNome]

I always thought that Edita Gruberova was up there in the list of best Queen's ever. Maybe it's just me, but damn could she get out those high notes! 

[Haffner]

True, unfortunately, but I have a soft spot for Roberta Peters. I remember seeing her on TV when I was a pup. She was quite famous in her day and, shrill or not, I still enjoy listening to her. Nostalgia plays a big part in that enjoyment though.

I have Böhm (DG), Haitink, Solti II, Karajan (DG) and Klemperer...and having just heard Müller-Brachman in Berlin, the Abbado is in my future.

Sarge

I didn't know there was an Herbert Von Karajan recording of the Magic Flute. Really curious to hear what you have to say on that one, Sarge!

[Haffner]

I always thought that Edita Gruberova was up there in the list of best Queen's ever. Maybe it's just me, but damn could she get out those high notes! 

A favorite of mine, as well.

[MishaK]

There is only one I can tolerate and that is Dorothea Röschmann, at least she does not hurt my ears, makes me wince and shudder!

Dorothea Röschmann is a lyrical soprano, not a coloratura. She never sang the queen. She has sung Pamina on a number of occasions (preserved on disc on Abbado's recording). I find her rather bland and emotionally unconvincing, I must say. No match for Ruth Ziesak, Barbara Bonney or any number of others.

That's a bit of an exaggeration.  Sumi Jo's also sung Gilda, Oscar, Lucia, Olympia, and Rosina (and that's just a list of her Met roles).

Indeed! I saw her do Gilda at the Met a few years ago and she brought tears to my eyes. She was unbelievable.

[uffeviking]

Dorothea Röschmann is a lyrical soprano, not a coloratura. She never sang the queen.

Um Gottswillen, I made the same mistake about six months ago and T.C. corrected me, as you did; thank you!

May I use a lame excuse? I got out the DVD of the Colin Davis Zauberflöte and covering the entire front is a wonderful picture of Diana Damrau as the Queen. The first female name on the cover is Dorothea Röschmann and since I am known for being the greatest Hudler, I didn't check closer.

The excuse does not count? I tried! 

[MishaK]

I got out the DVD of the Colin Davis Zauberflöte and covering the entire front is a wonderful picture of Diana Damrau as the Queen.

Damrau is good. There are clips from that video of both her arias on youtube. I still prefer Jo, though. Damrau has annoyingly wide vibrato in her middle range, for my taste.

[Valentino]

Seems like I can stick to my only one, Solti II. Thanks for the teaching, guys.

[MishaK]

You are so lucky, O! That Kentridge production sounds great!

Actually, it looked much better than it sounded. Detailed report will follow.

[Siedler]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvuKxL4LOqc
here's Damrau, I love it (I really want to see and hear the whole recording, it seems to be like something I want to see unlike that horrible Met production).

[Sergeant Rock]

I didn't know there was an Herbert Von Karajan recording of the Magic Flute. Really curious to hear what you have to say on that one, Sarge!

There are at least two recordings: on Decca, in mono, with Seefried, Lipp, Loose, Dermota, Kunz, Weber and the VPO; and on DG with Mathis, Ott, Perry, Araiza, Hornick, Van Dam and the Berlin Phil. Like his Don Giovanni the tempos can be slow (Penguin says "dangerously slow") but I don't recall much else. I have the box of LPs and frankly, haven't listened to it in probably twenty years. I should give it another spin.

Sarge

[Valentino]

Nothing quite like the smell of vinyl in the evening, Sarge!